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Jones loses battle with cancer

AFL's Jones loses battle with cancer

PHOENIX - Tommy Jones, first-base coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks for parts of the 2004 season and the team's player development director from 1998 to '04, has died. He was 54.

Jones died of brain cancer Thursday at his Phoenix home, said Paul Jensen, spokesman for the Arizona Fall League. A former minor-league player and manager, Jones worked as director of baseball operations for the fall league last season.

Jones was known for building strong relationships with players and those he worked with at the Diamondbacks.

"He was a really inclusive, energetic guy," former Diamondbacks general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. told the Arizona Republic. "I don't know if he knew the term 'management by walking around,' but that was how he ran the farm department.

"He was a tremendous, tremendous asset for me."

Jones is survived by his daughter, Sarah, son Tyler and mother Louise. A memorial service is scheduled for Jan. 31 in Scottsdale.